Playing Schumann Again for the First Time

Bobby Mitchell

How can one learn to improvise convincingly within the context of the nineteenth-century piano repertoire? And why is it important to improvise on this repertoire in the twenty-first century? Taking the music of Robert Schumann (1810−56) as a departure point, Playing Schumann Again for the First Time proposes an answer to these questions through methods towards a pianistic practice that is driven by experimentation and strives to continually find more layers where improvisation can take place, both in sounding musical practice and in notation. These practice-based methods are contextualized by a discussion of the presence of improvisation in Western classical musical practice in the nineteenth century. They are then substantiated by an argument to use improvisation as a tool for rethinking the current performance practice of nineteenth-century music. Improvisation itself and the concepts driving this term will also be addressed: improvisation in musical performance will be described as a process guided by a feedback loop between mimesis and morphosis with which the practitioner engages using his or her individual cognitive and embodied approach to listening, forgetting, and conceptualizing; the results of which bear his or her own sonic signature. The knowledge gained in this project lies within the realm of what will be described as improvisation as practice, a category of improvisational behavior that circumvents the need to be presented as art and is rather intended for the development of one’s own music-making.

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[border design: perimeter from the Pracht Ausgabe of Schumann's 43 Clavierstücke für die Jugend. Leipzig, Hamburg & New York: Schubert & Comp., 1849]

I have had the great pleasure to work with Rudolf Lutz, Professor Emeritus at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (Basel, Switzerland), who played a very significant role in creating Playing Schumann Again for the First Time. Ruedi fulfilled the many roles of a true mentor with integrity, passion, and charm during the many years we worked together. This would not have been possible without the gracious hospitality of piano technician, collector, and music enthusiast Georg Senn. Thanks to his generosity and cameradery, Ruedi and I were always welcome in his beautiful St. Alban studio (in Basel, Switzerland) to use the Erard piano, and general merriment and many musical soirées ensued.

The academic and artistic supervision of this project took many forms throughout the years. I am very grateful to Jan MichieI's creative and inspiring support, as well as Matthias Heyman's input and expertise, both of whom fulfilled their supervisional tasks at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels with integrity and passion. In an earlier stage of the project, Marcel Cobussen's input at the University of Leiden was crucial to the process of getting this project to articulate itself. Anna Scott (also at the Unviersity of Leiden) and Markus Schwenkreis (Schola Cantorum Basiliensis) graciously met with me and read / listened to early drafts of the work and offered important insights. Markus' assistance was especially crucial in helping me find specific historical literature to contextualize my musical examples. I found an ally in fellow improviser Boyan Vodenitcharov at the Royal Conservatoire in Brussels, who offered encouragement and artistic substantiation throughout the final stages of the project.

Justin Christensen edited the written text in this document with great attention to detail and sympathy for the content. He also enthusiastically transcended the role of editor by suggesting further reading and helping me restructure thoughts and ideas.

Martin Scherzinger found ways to articulate concepts that I was dealing with during this project's conception and helped me form a rich vocabulary to explain how improvisation in piano playing functions. His company and insights were also infused with a similar interest in pursuing a different approach to Schumann, as can be heard in his piano music that I have recorded throughout the years.

Thank you to Casper Schipper for taking the time to tweak the graphic elements of this project.

Thank you to all of the staff at the Vrije Universiteit, Erasmus Hogeschool, and the Royal Conservatoire in Brussels; the Orpheus Institute in Ghent; and the University of Leiden. These institutions function thanks to the very friendly and personable human resources, all of whom made this project possible. They also supported my endeavors to attend and lecture at conferences at the University of Oxford, the Royal Academy of Music in London, and the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice.

Your thoughts and feedback are very welcome. Feel free to contact me at mitch [dot] bobby [at] gmail [dot] com .

Introduction

On Improvisation in the Nineteenth Century

On Mimesis and Morphosis

On Rethinking the Current Performance Practice of Nineteenth-Century Music

On Scales of Improvisation

On My Improvisation Methods

On Sonic Signature

Between Listening, Forgetting, and Conceptualizing

Conclusion

Bibliography and Acknowledgements

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